Game score computer



Oct. 25, 1966 W. F. CURRAN GAME SCORE COMPUTER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 1.7, 1965 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM F. CURRAN F' I G.

ATTORNEYS Oct. 25, 1966 w. F. CURRAN 3,281,071

GAME SCORE COMPUTER Filed June 1.7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. WILLIAM F. CURRAN A 7' TORNE V5 United States Patent O 3,281,071 GAME SCORE COMPUTER William F. Curran, 6561 Balfour, Allen Park, Mich. Filed June 17, 1965, Ser. No. 464,679 7 Claims. (Cl. 23S-71) This invention relates to a game score computer, and is especially, though not exclusively, adaptable to auction type card games which include -a ybid and a meld, such as the family of pinochle and canasta games.

Brieiiy, the invention consists of a score indicator or marker which travels along an evenly calibrated surface, a bid tape and marker, slidable adjacent the travel of the score marker, and a calibrated meld tape and marker, which is slida-ble adjacent the Ibid tape. The number of sets of these individual compu-ters Iwill depend on the -card game played, and the number of players. A more complete explanation of the relationship between these tapes and their operation in score computation appears in the description of the drawings, and the examples described below.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a simple inexpensive game computer which will perform all the computations required in auc-tion type card games, thus making all manual calculations unnecessary.

Another object of lthis invention is to provide a 4game computer which is relatively simple to operate, yet is able to compute the running total score for all situations normally encountered.

Another object of this invention is to provide a game computer which is operated by iinger-tip control, and can be operated by one hand without picking up the computer.

Another object of this invention is to provide a game computer which allows good visualization `of the score of all of Ithe players, regardless of the players position in relation to the board.

Other objects, advantages 'and meritorious features of this invention will more fully appear from the following specilication, claims, and accompanying drawings, w-here- 1n:

FIG. l is a top View of the computer of this invention showing three hypothetical situations which might be encountered in scoring;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectinoal view of FIG. 1, in the direction of View arrows 2 2;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 along view arrows 3 3; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged exploded view lof an embodiment of Ithe reversible running total score marker.

Referring now to FIGS. l, 2 and 3 in which I show a preferred embodiment of my invention. In this embodiment I have shown the case or housing made of plastic, however, the case could also be made of wood or metal. The face of the com-puter, shown in FIG. l, actually `has three columns of computers, indicated generally as 11, 12 land 13, which provides for three players playing simultaneously, or .two sets of partners. I will refer specifically to the computer of column 11 in describing the construction details of my invention. The left-hand margin of the computer is provided with equally spaced calibrations, indicated generally at 16, numbered from Zero to 100. These calibrations can be applied by any of the well-known methods of applying indicia, such as embossing, decaling `or painting.

Immediately adjacent the computer surface calibrations is the score tape 18, slidable parallel to the computer surface indicia. A running total, or ftrue score marker 20, is affixed to the surface of the tape and is movable with the tape to indicate the running total or true score.

Adjacent and parallel tto the score tape is a bid tape 22, calibrated in equal increments of the same size as the computer surface calibrations 16. The calibrations on the Ibid tape, in this embodiment, are Zero to 100, in both directions from the Zero mark. The bid marker 24 is aiiixed to the bid tape at the Zero mark, and the opposite sides of the tape, from the Zero mark, may be colored differently to improve visualization. A third calibrated meld tape 26, and a meld marker 28, is located adjacent and parallel to the bid tape. The meld tape is calibrated in increments equal to the computer surface calibrations 16, from Zero to 100, and a meld marker 28 is aiiixed to the meld tape at the position of the Zero on the meld tape.

The tapes illustrated are `a continuous loop, as shown in FIG. 2, and may be made of any suitable material such as cloth, paper, or plastic. The tapes are mounted on, and move along, spindles 30 which are rotatably attached to flanges 32 provided on the inside of the housing 10. The spindles may be made of any suitable material, such as plastic, metal or wood, but in the preferred embodiment the spindles are made of a friction-resistant plastic, such as nylon or Teflon. A counter 34 may be provided above the computer surface calibrations 16, to indicate the number o-f full travels of the score indicator 20, or he number of `times a player has been set. The counter 3-4 of this embodiment is a cylinder rotatably mounted on anges 36 located within the housing 10. A trump suit indicator 38, similar in construction to the counters 34, may also be provided for visual indication of the trump suit played.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of one embodiment of the score marker 20. This embodiment provides for rotation of the score marker 20 on a pivot pin 42, to indicate positive or negative running total scores. One-half 46 of the marker may be red, and the other half 48 may be black. The yred half would indicate a negative score when it is turned toward the surface calibrations 16, and the black half 48 would indicate a positive score. Lugs 54, located on the bottom surface of the score marker l-ock the orientation of the marker by engagement with the slots 52, provided in the base portion 50 of the marker. The base 50 is affixed in any suitable manner to the score tape 18.

Three possible scoring situations are set up on the three columns of computers in FIG. l. The situation most often encountered in scoring is illustrated in the computer of column 11, which is discussed in Example I below. Less common situations, illustrated in columns 12 and 13, are discussed in Examples Il and III, respectively. It is understood .that in most auction type card games only one player can win the bid in a -single hand, and therefore only one computer would be used at a time. However, I have illustrated examples of bids by all three players, to aid in explaining the examples below.

Example I The player of column 11 has a total score of positive 47 points, as read from the score marker on the computer surface calibrations. The players bid, in this example, is 23 points, which has been indicated by moving the bid marker to a position where it reads 23 on the computer surface calibrations. The players meld of l2 points has been indicated in like manner, by moving the meld marker to a position where it reads 12 on the computer surface calibrations. The points required to make the bid may be read directly from the meld marker on the upper portion of the bid tape. The points required to make the bid of this example are 11.

The computer is now set up as it would be when the hand is played. The computer is also ready to compute the players new score, whether the bid is made or the player goes set For example, should the player of this example take in 12 p-oints, which is one more point than required to make the bid, the new total score is computed by first moving the bid marker downward so that l2, rather than 11, is read from the meld marker on the upper por-tion of the bid tape. That is, the bid tape is .moved one unit of calibration downward. The total points of the hand, the players -meld plus the points taken in play, may now be read from the bid marker -on the computer surface calibrations, which is 24 points.

The bid marker is next moved downward even with the score marker, and the score marker is then moved downward until it reads 24 points, the total points of the hand, on the lower portion of the bid tape. At this position the score Imarker is indicating the players new total score of 71 points on the computer surface calibrations, and the computer is ready for the next hand.

The game computer of this embodiment retains an. indication of the previous total score, as read from the bid marker on t-he computer surface calibrations, and the total points of the previous hand, as read from the `score marker on the lower portion `of the bid tape. This feature of the computer may serve as an advantage should a dispute later arise.

A .second possibility of this example is the player taking in less than the points required to make the bid, or going setf In such a situation the players new total score may be read directly, without manipulation of the markers or tapes. The new total score of the player of this example, after being set, is 24 points, which is read from the score marker on the lower portion of the bid tape.

Example ll The player of this example, which is illustrated in column 12 -of FIG. 1, has a total score of negative 13 points, a ibid of 26 points, and a meld of 11 points. The computer `of column 12 has been set up for play of the hand in the same manner as described in Example I, except that because the total score is negative, the red portion of the score marker has been turned toward the computer surface calibrations. The points required to make the bid, which in this exa'mple is 15 points, is again read from the meld marker on upper portion of the bid tape.

The computer is set up for play ofthe hand in the same manner i-n all situations of scoring, however, the new total score computation mig-ht be described as opposite when the initial total score is negative. That is, the new total may be `read directly from the score marker on the bid tape when the hand is made, and the new total score must be computed when the player is set, which is opposite from the situation when the initial score is positive. When the initial score is negative, and the new total `score will be positive if the hand is made, the score marker will readon the upper p-ortion of the bid tape, however when the bid is insufficient -to make the new total score positive, and the player will remain in the hole, the new total score is read from the score marker on the lower portion of the bid tape.

For example, should the player take in 18 points .in play, which is three more points than required to make the bid, the bid marker is moved downward until 18 is read from the meld marker on the upper portion of the bid tape, as described in Example I. The new total score may now be read directly from the score marker on the bid tape. In this example the score Imarker reads 16 on the upper portion of bid tape, which indicates that the new tot-al score is positive 16 points.

Should the player of -t-his example fail to make the bid, and go set, the new total score is computed in the same manner as described in Example I for the computation of the score when the hand is made. T-he bid marker is first moved even with the score marker, and then the score marker is moved downw-ard until it reads 26, which was the players bid, on the lower portion of the bid tape. In

i this position the score marker reads negative 39 on the computer surface calibrations, which is the new total score.

Example Ill The player of this example, which is illustrated in the computer of column 13 of IFIG. 1, has a total score of positive 87 points, a bid of 24 points and a meld of 15 points. The computer has been set up for :play as described in Examples I and II, and the points required to make the bid are 9 points.

The computation of the new total score should the player be set is the same as described in Example I, and will not be repeated here. A change in computation is, however, required if the hand is made, because the new total score will be greater than points, which is the full travel of the surface calibrations of this embodiment. It is noted that this invention is not limited to a computer having 100 points, as any number may be used without changing the basic concept.

For example, should the player of this example have 24 points for the total of the hand, which includes the meld and the points taken in play, the new total score is computed by moving the bid marker downward until 24 is read on the bid tape from the lower portion of the computer, which in this embodiment is the 100 of the computer surface calibration. The new total score may now be read from the score ymarker on the lower portion of the bid tape. The score marker in this example would read 11 on the bid tape, indicating that the new total score is 111 points.

The game computer described and illustrated is one embodiment of my invention, and several modifications can be made without departing from the inventive concept. For example, the bid tape serves no function except to facilitate moving the score marker, and the tape could be eliminated by slidably afxing the score marker on the surface of the computer. The -number of computers illustrated in FIG. 1 is considered arbitrary, depending on the game and the number of players. The number could be changed to two or four, for example, without departing from the inventive concept.

Individual computers could also be provided for each player, wherein the computer could be constructed from three independently rotatable discs, in place of the tapes illustrated.

What is claimed is:

l. A game computer comprising, in combination: an equal increment linearly calibrated surface, a score marker shiftable adjacent said calibrated surface, a bid tape linearly calibrated in increments equal to the calibrations on said surface and numbered in progression in opposite directions from a midpoint and shiftable relative to said score marke-r and said surface substantially parallel to the travel of said bid marker, 4and a meld tape calibrated in increments equal to said surface and said bid tape calibrations and numbered in progression from a midpoint and shiftable parallel to the travel of said bid tape.

l2. The game computer dened in claim 1, wherein said meld tape is numbered in progression in the opposite direction from said surface calibrations.

3. The game com-puter defined in claim 1, wherein said bid tape is provided with a marker aixed to said tape at said midpoint and shiftable therewith.

4. The game computer defined in claim 1, wherein said meld tape is provided with a marker axed to said meld tape at said midpoint and shiftable therewith.

5. The invention of claim 1, in which said score indicator is rotatable to indicate a positive or negative score depending on its orientation.

6. The invention of claim 1, in which said tapes are continuous and movable along spindles oriented perpendicular to said planar surface calibrations.

7. The invention of claim 1, in which there are three sets of planar surface calibrations, tapes, and indicators.

(References 011 following page) 5 i 6 References Cited by the Examiner 2,171,602 9/ 1939 Schantz 23S-86 X UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,488,338 11/1949 Senegas 116-135 11/1902 Johnson 2,35--71 FOREIGN PATENTS 11/1904 Powell et al. 23S- 125 X 35,23() 4/1936 Germany 11/1906` Bewan 235-125 X 439,419 12/1935 Great Britain. 11/1911 Haddon 23S-125 5/ 1927 Slayton 23S-117.1 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner.

5/1932 -Pratt 116135 10/1936 M o rse 235 71 LEO SMILOW, Examiner.

11/1937 Epps zas-s6` X 10 C. G. COVELL, JAMES B. MURRAY,

11/ 1938 Thorne 23S-71 Assistant Examiners. 

1. A GAME COMPUTER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: AN EQUAL INCREMENT LINEARLY CALIBRATED SURFACE, A SCORE MARKER SHIFTABLE ADJACENT SAID CALIBRATED SURFACE, A BID TAPE LINEARLY CALIBRATED IN INCREMENTS EQUAL TO THE CALIBRATIONS ON SAID SURFACE AND NUMBERED IN PROGRESSION IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS FROM A MIDPOINT AND SHIFTABLE RELATIVE TO SAID SCORE MARKER AND SAID SURFACE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE TRAVEL OF SAID BID MARKER, AND A MELD TAPE CALIBRATED IN INCREMENTS EQUAL TO SAID SURFACE AND SAID BID TAPE CALIBRATIONS AND NUMBERED IN PROGRESSION FROM A MIDPOINT AND SHIFTABLE PARALLEL TO THE TRAVEL OF SAID BID TAPE. 